Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

With the 52nd pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, NFL Mocks has the New England Patriots taking USC Trojans wide receiver Robert Woods. If he falls to the Patriots just outside of the top 50, then I have nothing against picking him up. Woods is one of the most steady wide receivers in this draft, and he would be a great deal for the Patriots at 52. Woods has solid hands, is an excellent route-runner, and he does a good job of generating yards after the catch. The USC star has been referred to by some as the perfect West Coast Offense wide receiver, but Woods’s ability to move the chains and be a possession receiver is a welcome addition to any NFL offense.

The Patriots second pick in the second round is dedicated to the defensive side of the ball, as NFL Mocks has the New England Patriots snapping Kawann Short off the board. If the Purdue Boilermakers star is able to fall to the Patriots at the near-end of the second round, then he would be an absolute steal for the Pats. They did sign Armond Armstead and Tommy Kelly this offseason, but the Patriots could use the solid, pass rushing DT to help fortify the position. More importantly, Short would be the best player on the board (with the exception of Markus Wheaton, who went in the early third, but the Patriots already took a wideout).

I have no issues with either of these two picks, although I would have went with the pairing of Tank Carradine and Markus Wheaton. To me, that’s the more dynamic duo, and I absolutely love Carradine. He ended up going at 58 to the Denver Broncos in this mock; I don’t see him lasting that long.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.

Bradley Leeb-USA TODAY Sports

Sanchez isn’t the only person who has the Patriots getting Short in his mock draft, as several draft analysts are also tabbing Short as the Pats pick in the first round. Short would give the Patriots another pass rushing presence on the interior of the defensive line, and he has a high motor and would slot in as a DT in the rotation.

This mock draft was created before the New England Patriots signed Tommy Kelly, but there are still people who think the Pats will draft a DT. If they do, I highly doubt it will be in the first round. Short is a solid prospect who could still help the Pats even with Kelly in the fold, but I just think the Pats are done at DT with new additions in Armstead and Kelly. In my opinion, at least one of them will pan out and do their job for the Pats in generating pressure.

At this point in time, the Patriots are better off getting a wide receiver or cornerback. Of the players who fell beyond the Pats to the final three teams in the 2013 NFL Draft, Clemson Tigers wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins makes the most sense for the Pats. In fact, I would love to add Hopkins, as he has the talent to be a No. 1 wide receiver and could be a big help to the Pats. Even if the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t match the offer sheet for Emmanuel Sanders, I still think the Patriots will want to draft a wideout. The Pats also seem poised to go the “best available” route, and Hopkins looks like the best available prospect to me. Sanchez, by the way, had him going to the Baltimore Ravens with the final pick in the first round.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.

Paul Abell-USA TODAY Sports

Short was a fast riser due to a strong Senior Bowl, and several draft analysts are high on Short. Daniel Jeremiah wrote that Short is “ very likely to get picked in the middle-to-late portion of the first round”, and I went over how our main site mocked him to the Patriots with the 29th pick. While I think Short is getting a bit overrated and took too many plays off at Purdue, he has excellent physical tools and some nice upside. I’m just wary of fast-rising DTs, even if they have enough size, speed, and strength to succeed at the pro level.

Sylvester Williams is also worth a close look for Patriots fans, and I would recommend reading Jeremiah’s piece as it goes in-depth with all the top DTs in the class. Jesse Williams of Alabama is another guy getting talked about among Pats circles, but I would be wary of Ohio State’s Jonathan Hankins. He’s an excellent player and is dropping too low on some boards, but Hankins isn’t a good fit for the Patriots as he is clearly more of a run-stopper. The Pats need an interior pass rusher like Sylvester Williams.

DeAndre Hopkins is one of the top playmaking wide receiver prospects in this 2013 NFL Draft class, and the former Clemson standout has terrific athleticism and speed. He gets jump balls, stretches the field vertically, and he would certainly add a different dimension to the Patriots offensive attack.

Another NFL Network draft guru, Bucky Brooks, tweeted that he thinks Hopkins is one of five players to watch closely for a huge Scouting Combine performance. Hopkins would be a nice pick for the Patriots, and I think he and Tavon Austin are the team’s best options at the wide receiver position.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.